Former for shaping corsets



(ModeL) W. A. NETTLETON.

Former fd r Shaping Corsets. No. 240,166. Patented April 12, I88 I.

Mhzsas:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORMER FOR SHAPING CORSETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,166, dated April12, 1881.

Application filed January 24, 1x181. (ModeL) To all whom it may concernBeit known that I, WM. A. NETTLETON, of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairtield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Formers for Shaping Corsets; and .I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, which forms part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in formers for shaping corsets;and it consists in the use of a separate piece or former for shaping thebust and the hips, or either one alone, as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

The object of my invention is to do away with the great trouble and timerequired to shape and finish the busts and the hips of the corsets uponthe same former upon which the other portions of the corset are shapedor molded, and to enable the ironer to shape and polish the corset atthe same time.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention.

Heretofore corsets have been shaped or blocked upon large full -sizedmetal forms, heated by steam or otherwise, or else pressed in suitableheated molds or dies. The first method is slow as each corset must beclamped around the metal form and be drawn up by laces or other meansuntil it fits it, and becomes molded to its shape as it dries thereon.Dies are too expensive and hard to operate. In both cases it has beenfound impossible to give corsets so molded the fine polish attained byhand-ironing, because, if first hand-ironed and polished, the stretchingand steaming and fitting to the metal form destroys the polish. If firstmolded on the form, the after ironing to obtain the polish must, by thedampening required for such ironing,destroy the shape given by themolding. The parts most requiring such molding to give the corset theproper shape are the bust and hips. If these are shaped well, the Wholecorset presents a good appearance.

To this end each ironer is supplied with a special metal form, overwhich both the hip and bust, or either one alone, is molded and setafter the remaining portions of the corset have been polished. Each oneof these forms A is placed upon the ironing-table in any convenientposition, and is heated from a steam-pipe. One form may be used forshaping both hips and bust, or a separate one may be used for each one,so as to obtain a better form. The

ironer first irons the corset, and then fits the bust of the corsetsnugly onto the steam-heated bust and draws it down over it until itreceives the proper shape; or the corset maybe let't upon the bust untilit is well set.

Having thus described my invention, I claim A hollow metal block forshaping the hip or the bust of corsets, the block being heated by steamor other available means,constructed as and in the form described, andfor the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this17th day of January, 1881.

WILLIAM ALFRED N ETTL'ETON. Witnesses:

D, W. ROCKWELL,

FRANK J. HueHEs.

